VZCZCXRO5807
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1017 1120825
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 220825Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8571
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC 0790
RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RXFPSHK/ISAF HQ
RHMFISS/USFOR-A
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS KABUL 001017 
 
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USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE 
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TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, AWELLER, AND MNUGENT 
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KABUL FOR COS USFOR-A 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958 N/A 
TAGS: MASS EAID PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: JCMB Approves Afghan Police Increase by 15,000 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  The Afghan government and international community 
have agreed to increase Afghan National Police (ANP) staffing, by 
4,800 for the "Kabul Security Plan" and, in principle (subject to 
funding), by another 5,000 to 10,000 officers to be deployed in 
vulnerable provinces before the August elections.  Donors also 
expressed strong support for Interior Minister Atmar's plans to 
reform and combat corruption in the ANP.  End Summary 
 
¶2. (SBU) The eleventh meeting of the Joint Coordination and 
Monitoring Board April 19 approved an increase in the size of the 
Afghan National Police force.  JCMB members agreed to an interim 
increase of 4,800 police personnel, which the U.S. has agreed to 
train and equip, for the "Kabul Security Plan."  The Plan envisions 
that these new officers will be trained and in place in the capital 
city before the August 20 elections.  Members also agreed to a 
further interim increase of 5,000 to 10,000 police personnel to be 
trained and deployed in vulnerable provinces before the elections in 
August 2009, subject to the availability of sufficient additional 
funds.  The JCMB agreed that it will decide on the overall 
appropriate size of the Afghan police force in light of the study 
carried out by the Ministry of Interior, CSTC-A, and EUPOL, as well 
as the study being carried out by the European Commission, which 
will be presented in June 2009. 
 
¶3. (SBU) With us and Canada, JCMB co-chair SRSG Kai Eide and 
Interior Minister Atmar had worked behind the scenes to ensure JCMB 
approval of the above decision; all expressed their thanks for other 
members' unanimous support.  (Comment: Even Iran and Russia spoke 
generally in favor of the GIRoA proposal during the discussion 
period, and Russia offered limited, separate training and equipment 
to the ANP in future.)  Atmar said 1,398 police officers were killed 
in FY 2008-09.  He cited the small size of the police force and the 
lack of training and equipment as contributing factors.  Presenting 
his personal vision of the eventual size of the ANP, Atmar said 
28,000 police officers will be newly trained in 2009, bringing to 64 
percent the share of the total force that will have been trained. 
Atmar described ten initiatives the GIRoA is undertaking to combat 
corruption in the ANP, and said the ANP would work impartially to 
secure the upcoming elections.  Because of the elections it was 
important, he and Eide argued, to approve the staffing for 
vulnerable provinces now and not wait until the next JCMB meeting in 
a few months. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Charge strongly supported the increase in police 
staffing, while making clear that that support did not imply support 
for funding beyond what the U.S. has already committed.  The Charge 
also endorsed MOI's police reform and anti-corruption plans.  He 
also expressed appreciation for ANP plans to support election 
security and for Atmar's internal MOI directive prohibiting the ANP 
from interfering in the elections.  The Charge urged JCMB members to 
encourage President Karzai to issue a strong Presidential decree on 
election impartiality that would apply to all GIRoA employees. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMISAF also applauded Atmar's initiatives.  He reminded 
JCMB members that policemen have been dying at a rate three times 
that of ANA soldiers, and said the international community must do 
better at training, mentoring, and equipping the ANP.  Many of the 
new U.S. forces arriving in Afghanistan will focus on training ANSF. 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Other donor countries also unanimously approved the police 
staffing increase and expressed support for Atmar's reform and 
anti-corruption initiatives.  Several donors also stressed the 
importance of proper vetting of new police hires, which Atmar 
promised would occur. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Other JCMB outcomes will be reported septels. 
 
RICCIARDONE